State plans phone poll of storm victims

Sunday

Jan 8, 2012 at 12:01 AM

The state plans to survey people affected by the April 27 tornadoes in an effort to reduce injuries and deaths in future storms.

By Lydia Seabol AvantStaff Writer

TUSCALOOSA | The state plans to survey people affected by the April 27 tornadoes in an effort to reduce injuries and deaths in future storms. The telephone survey, which will begin today, is a project of the Alabama Department of Public Health, the Department of Mental Health, along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Questions will focus on the person’s experience, property loss, injuries and the recovery process.“Basically, they want to find out what precautions people took to protect themselves,” said Andy Mullins, director of the Center for Emergency Preparedness at ADPH. “If they were injured, then how severely and what the outcome was.”Officials will use the information to evaluate safety messages to see if there are steps people can take to better protect themselves during events such as tornadoes, when they have little time to prepare, Mullins said. Officials also hope to learn more about the benefits of underground shelters, as well as different types of housing construction and shelter locations, according to the health department. “We are committed to helping Alabama prepare for the future by increasing our capabilities to prevent injuries during storms,” said Dr. Donald Williamson, state health officer. The April 27 tornado outbreak that hit Tuscaloosa was part of the largest tornado outbreak recorded in the U.S. It caused 287 deaths in Alabama, according to the ADPH, with 52 deaths in Tuscaloosa. Because there were several large tornadoes across the state that day and so many people were affected, the event offered a rare opportunity for research, Mullins said. It is the first time the state has tried to conduct a survey in relation to tornadoes and their impact on the public. “We’ve done some studies on preparedness, but this is the first time we’ve done anything this large of a scale, specifically for tornadoes,” Mullins added. People whose homes or properties were damaged on April 27, those who were injured in the storm and survivors who were not injured are asked to call the ADPH at 1-855-228-3777 or enter their contact information online at www.adph.org. Survey participants will be asked for their name and telephone number. The survey will take about 20 to 30 minutes to complete.It is not yet known for how long the survey will be conducted, because the state wants to get as many participants as possible, Mullins said. The results will be made public later this year.